Drop bottom car



Nom-29, 1932. c. A, GRIFFITH DROP BOTTOM GAR Filedl Jan. '21, 1931 Cttornegs Nov. 29, 1932.

C. A. GRIFFITH DROP BOTTOM CAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2l, 1931 Gttornelyf Nov. 29, 1932. c. A. GRIFFITH DROP BOTTOM CART Filed Jan. 21, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 (ttornegdv DROP BOTTOM CAR Filed Jan. 21, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 29, 1932. c. A, GRIFFITH DROP BOT'TOM GAR 2l, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan.

Ihwentor Gttornegs Nov. 29, 1932. c. A. GRIFFITH DROP BOTTOM CAR Filed Jan. 21, 1931 e sheets-sheet e gi E E view similar to Fig. 9, showing two doors of parallel series thereof;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a. car, showing latch operating mechanism, and aplurality of latches for each rear door ot two parallel series there- 0 Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fi 11, showing a single latch for each rear oor oi' two parallel series thereof;

Fie. 13 is a view similar to Figs. 11 and 12, showing the rear door of a single series and a lurality of latches for said door;

ig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of the car and latch mechanism shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. lll', showing another form of latch mechanism embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Figs. 14 and 15, showing another form of latch mechanism, embodying the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, 5 indicates the body of a car of the interlocking drop bottom door type, having side sills 6, and end sills 'l' and 8. ln accordance with the present invention, the car is provided with a center beam 9 extending lon itudinally thereof and secured in any suita le manner to the end sills 6v and 'l' (Figs. 1 to 6, 8 and ld) rll`he center beam 9 has secured to or formed integrally with the top thereot,` an inverted, V-shaped guard or dedector for preventing material from lodging on top oit said beam when the car is dumped, as hereinafter descrihed. 'llhe center beam 9 may, it desired, be provided in the opposite channelled sides thereof, with iillers 11 oilI wood or other suitable material, which are secured to said beam by rivets 12 or other suitable means that entend through suitable openings formed in said heam and said fillers.

Extending transversely et the car through suitable openings in the beam 9 and the iillers 11, are arles i3 the opposite ends oir' which are provided with reduced extensions 115i on which are journalled the car wheels l5. rl`he axle extensions it are provided at the outer sides of the lwheels 15 with sleeves i6 which extend through suitable openings in the side sills 6 and braclrcts 17 that are secured thereto in any suitable manner. 'lhe axles i3 are retained against rotation, as by pins 18 which pass through suitable openings in the axle extensions lli and the braclrets 17, respectively.

in accordance with the present invention, the car may be provided with parallel series olf interlocking automatically operated drop bottom doors, or said car may he provided with a single series of interlocking, automatically operated drop hottom doors. As shown in Figs.. l to 6, 8, and 10 to 12, the car Leagues is `provided with parallel series of interlocking, automatically operated doors hinged on axes extending transversely of the car, the forward doors 19, 19 being hinged in any suitable manner on a rod 20. f' rlhis rod 20 eX- tends transversely of the car through suit able openings in the side sills 6 and the center beam 9, and said rod is secured in any suitable manner to said side sills, adjacent the end sill 7 of the car. Doors 21, 21 are interposed between the forward doors 19, 19 and rear doors 22, 22', the doors 21, 21 and 22, 22' being hinged on axes extending transversely of the car and herein shown as comprised by the axles 13 and the extensions 14 thereof. llf desired, however, the doors 21, 21' and 22, 22 could be hinged on transverse axes independently of the wheel axles ot the car.

'llhe several doors are each preferably constructed of a sheet of steel 0r other suitable metal and may, if desired, be reeniorced at opposite sides thereof by anges 23 of channel iron or the like bolted or otherwise suit' ably secured to said doors. The doors 21, 21 and 22, 22 are preferably hinged to their pivotal axes by hinges formed and constructed as shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 440,802, filed April 1, 1930. Aiccordingly, the front edge portions of the doors 21, 21', and 22, 22 are bent around the axles 13 and the sleeves 16 on the axle extensions lt, and blocks 2t shaped to lit said aides and said sleeves, and preferably made oi metal, are interposed between said doors and the portions thereof which are bent around said axles and said sleeves. The hlo-clrs 2li are riveted or other otherwise suitably secured to the doors 21, 21" and 22, 22', proper, and to the Jorward edge portions 25 thereof which are bent around the pivotal axes of the door, as previously described.

The rear or tree edge portions ot the doors i9, i9 and 2l, 2l have secured thereto, catches-26 which, when said doors are in raised or closed positions, engage over the edee ortions 25 et the doors 2l 2l. and 22 22', between the blocks 24, or in suitable open ings formed therein. The rear edge portions ofthe doors 22, 22, as shown in Figs. 3 to 6,

inclusive, et the drawings, have secured thereto catches 27 which, when said doors are in raised or closed positions, engage catches- 28 of latch mechanism to be hereinafter described;

in accordance with the present invention, the wheel housings, instead ot being stationary and secured to the side sills ot' the car,

are movable and secured to drop bottom doors, thereby enabling the car' to be increased in width, as desired, with the result that the capacity of the car 1s materially increased. Accordingly, drop bottom doors adjacent the wheels oi the car, are provided with openings 29 and housings for said wheels, the

forwardly of said pit or bin, as by the'crossties 39 adjacent thereto which, for this purpose, are of greater length than the crossties 39. The sills may, if desired, be supported intermediate the front and rear edgesA of the pit or bin.. by any suitable means for this purpose. The shafts 74-and the wheels 72 may be driven in any suitable manner, and by k any suitable means for this purpose. As

herein shown, said shafts are driven through the medium of bevel gears 76 fixed on the ends of the shafts 7 4 opposite those 'carrying the wheels 72 and meshing with bevel gears 77 fixed on shafts 78 extending in parallel relation with the sills 75 and journalled in suitable beai"'ngs .on the latter. The bevel gears 76 on the forward shafts 74. shown at the left of Figs. 1 and 2, mesh with similar gears 80 that are fixed on the upper ends of vertical shafts 81 extending in wells or casings 82 and journalled thereon in any suitable manner.

The wells or casings 82 are arranged at opposite sides of the track 37 and extend downwardlv therefrom in the ground for connection with a casing 83 extending under the track transversely thereof. Fixed on the lower ends of the shafts 81 are bevel gears 84 which mesh with similar gears 85 that are fixed on a shaft 86 extending through the casing 83 and iournalled in any suitable manner thereon. This shaft 86 has fixed thereon a pulley 87 around which passes -a belt 88 that also passes upwardly through a suitable casing 88 and around a pulley 89 which is fixed on the armature'shaft 90 of an electric motor 91, bolted or otherwise suitably secured on a foundation 92. This motor 91 is supplied with'current from any suitable source and controlled by any suitable switch (not shown) in such manner that the armature shaft therethe sills 7 and are bolted or otherwise suitablysecured to said sills and said bumpers. The bumpers 95, in turn, are bolted or othery wise suitably secured to the sills 7 at the bot toms thereof to provide spaces for links 97 through which the coupling pins 93 extend. The coupling pins 93 are rigidly secured to the sills 7 and the bumpers 95 carried thereby,-

by any suitable means for this purpose.

The coupling pins 94 extend loosely through suitable openings formed in the sills 8 and yokes 98 positioned within said sills and bolted or otherwise suitabl secured thereto. The couplin pins 94 a o extend loosely through slotte o enings formed in small spring bumpers 99 disposed within the yokes 98 and retained against displacement therefrom in any suitable manner. Suitable fillers 100 of wood or other material may, if desired, be interposed between the vertical walls of the sills 8 and the yokes 98. The bumpers 99`are spaced from the upper portions of the yokes 98 to receive the links 97 therebetween the coupling pins 94 extending through said links and being removably mounted in the sills 8 and bumpers 99 so that the cars may be connected and disconnected, as desired with respect to each other and to an engine (not shown) for pulling or pushing the cars along the track 37. The engine may, if desired, travel around the pit or bin at one side or the other thereof, on a track such as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and including rails 101 secured in any suitable manner to crossties 102 on a suitable roadbed at on'e side of the pit or bin 38. The track 101 is provided at opposite endsthereof, with curved rails 103 connected by suitable fro switches or the like (not shown) with t e rails 37. y

Assuming a car, or a train' of cars, to be traveling' along the rails 37 in the direction 'indicated by the arrows in- Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, the detent 56 of each car engages the trip 41, thereby rocking the shaft 43 on said car, and disengaging the catches 27 and 28 of the latch mechanism for the rear doors 2,2, 22 of the car. The rear doors 22, 22 therefore drop slightly, and in continued travel of the car it passes from the transporting mechanism which carries the car across the pit or bin 38. In the travel of the car across the pit or bin, the doors 22, 22', 21, 21' and 19, 19 open one after another to positions such as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, the wheel housings 30 turnf ing with said doors, and the load 1n the car, upon opening of the doors, dropping into the pit or bin 38.

carried the car, after-dumpin thereof, to the forward edge of the pit or in 38, the forward doors 19, 19 engage a cam or cams 104 extending over the forward edge of the pit or bin and secured to the crossties 39 adJacent thereto. The doors 19, 19 are thus raised, and through continued motion of the car imparted thereto by the car transporting mechanism, the doors 19, 19', 21, 21', and 22, 22 successively engage the cam or cams 104 and are raised, in the order named, so that the catches 26 engage the edges 25 of the doors 21, 21 and22, 22', and the catches 27 engage the catches 28 of the latch mechanism.

The doors are thus locked in their raised` When the car transporting mechanismhas mi rails 37 onto the driven wheels 72 of the car- 1M 2 riveted or otherwise suitably secured to said v positions, and the car passes ytrom the car transporting mechanism onto the rails 37 forwardly of the pit or bin 38. 1t is obvious, that by c anging the direction of rotation of the driven members 72 ofthe car transporting mechanism, cars could be carried thereby across the pit or bin from the left to the right thereof as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the detents 56 of the latch mechanism on the cars engaging the cam arms 67 to depress ception that a single series only-of inter locking automatically o erated drop bottom doors are employed an the center-,beam is located above the pivoted axes' for said doors. lin the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 9 `and 13, the adjacent doors are indicated at 105 and 106, respectively, and are identical in construction and operation with doors previously described, exceptothat they p are single doors extending across lthe entire 'width of the car. lln Fig; 9, door 106 is shown in dotted lines, open and de ending downwardly trom the car into the pitor bin 38, and the axle 13 insteadof extending through the center beam 107 extends below and in spaced relation therewith.

` The center beam 107 is secured to opposite ends ot the car, as by brackets 108 which are center beam and said ends ot the car, res ectively. 'llhe center beam 107 is provide on the top thereof with an inverted V-shaped guard or dedector 109 the inclined sides of which facilitate dum ing ofthe car. 'llhe center beam 107 is turt er provided, alon the bottom portion thereof, with incline dedectors 110 for the same purpose. The deidectors 109 and 110 may be welded or secured in an other desired manner to the center beam 10 The door 105, as shown in Fig. 13, is rovided with two catches 27 which,

. when t e door is raised, engage catches sim- 0 embodiment of the invention previously deilar to 'those shown at 28 in the drawings and termed on arms 111 which arel fixed on the rockshaft 43. rllhe construction and operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 9 and 13, is otherwise the same as the construction and operation of the scribed. t

lln the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 10 ot the drawings, parallel series or" interlocking autoinaticall operated drop bottom doors are employe as in the case ot .1-3 of the drawings.

aeeaoee r the embodiment of the invention shown in' Fig. 8 and preceding figures of the drawings. Two of the dro bottom doors are indicated at 112, 112', an vthe axle 13, instead of passing through the center beam, passes under a center beam 107 such as shown in Figs. 9 and rlllhe construction and operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings, is otherwise the same as` the construction and operation of the embodiments of the invention previously described.

, ln the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs 11 and 14, parallelseries of interlocking automatically operated drop bottom doo-rs are employed, as in the case of the tirst described embodimentof the invention. Four catches 113, 113 and 114, 114 are employed, however, on the rear doors 22, 22 of the car. r1`hese catches are secured in any suitable manner at opposite sides of the rear doors, respectively, and adjacent the rear` edges thereof. When said doors are in their raised or closed positions, the catches 113, 113 and 114, 114' engage catches formed on the ends of arms 115, 115 .and 116, 116', respectively. rl`he arms 115 and 116 are :fixed on the rockshaft 43 adjacent outer ends thereof, respectively, and said varms extend in suitable housings 117 which are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the side and rear end Walls of the car.

- rllhe arms 115 and 116 are fixed on the rockshatt 43 near the center thereof, and

ly toward the front wall thereof for the same purpose. rllhe catches 113, 113' and 114, 114 are secured to the doors 22, 22', respectively, within flanges such as indicated at 119 in Fig. 14 of the drawings. Similar flan c s may be formed on the doors adjacent the ousing 118. rll`he housings 117 and 118 extend over these VHanges, and the latter prevent material in the car from sifting out of the same below said housings'. The construction and operation of the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 11 and 14 is, otherwise the same as the construction and operation of the embodiments of the invention previously described.

1n the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Fig. 15 of the drawings, the drop bottom door 120 is provided with a catch 121 riveted or otherwise suitably secured on the rear edge of said door. When the door is in its raised or closed position, the catch 121 engages over the fiat upper surface 122 of an arm 123 provided rearwardly of said surface with a curved surface 124. This arm 123 is arranged for rocking movement Within the car and in material therein, and said arm also extends outwardly from the car through an opening 125 formed inthe rear end thereof. The arm 123 is fixed on a rockshaft 126 extending Vtransversely'of the car and journalled in suitable. bearings on' the rear end of said car exteriorly thereof. The rockshaft 126 hasfixed thereon exteriorly of the car a trip arm and. detent such as secured' on the rockshaft 43.

When this arm' and detent are rocked through engagement of the latter with the ltrip 221, shaft 126 is also rocked and imparts like motion to the arm 123. The fiat surface 122 of saidarm is thus disengaged from .the catch 121 and the door 120 is dropped for dumping of the load in thepit or bin when the car is transported thereover as previously described. When the car passes over the pit or' bin` the doors are closed one afterv another, andthe catch'121 of the door 120 slides up over the front of the arm 123 and onto the top thereof in engagement with the flat surface 122, the arm 123 first rocking in one direction through engagement with the catch 121 with the front of said arm, and thenrocking by gravity of the larm 123 and the arm 55, to engage the nose'122 under the catch 121, as stated. The construction and operation of the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Fig. 15 of the drawings is otherwise the same asthe construction and operation of the embodiments of the invention previously described.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Fig. 16 oi the drawings, the door 12? is provided on the rear edge thereof with a catch 128 which, when the door is in its raised or closed position, extends over and engages a catch 129 that is secured to or formed integrally with a substantially semicircular block or plate 130. This block or plate 130 is arran ed to rotate in opposite irections Within he carthrough an opening 131 in the rear end thereof, and said block or plate is fixedon a rockshaft 132 that extends transversely Vof the car interiorly thereof and in close proximity with the rear end of said car. The roclzshaft 132 is journalled in suitable bearings on the center beam 9 and the sides of the car, respectively, and said rockshaft is provided on one end thereof with a trip arm and detent such as dis' closed in previously described' embodiments of the invention.

When the car, in its travel along the track, passes the trip 41 the detent 56 on the arm carried by shaft 132 engages said trip, thereby rockmg said shaft to turn the plate 130 and disengage catch 129 from the catch 128. Door 127 is thus unlatched, and as said car is transported acrossthe pit or bin said door and the doors forwardly thereof open.

facilitatin one after another to dump the load in the pit or'bin. When the car travels over the forward edfge of the pit or bin onto the track ahead o the same, the doors are closed one after another from the front to the rear of the car, the door 127 being raised so that the catch 128 enga es the rear lportion of the catch 129 and ten passes over and engages the top portions thereof, plate 130 and the shaft 132 rocking first in one direction and then in the opposite direction through engagement of the catches, and gravity action of the plate 130, the shaft 132, and the trip arm carried by the latter. v

It will appear, from the foregoing, that' the mounting of the Wheel housings on drop bottom doors of the car enable the width thereof to be considerably increased, with corresponding increased capacity of the car, and that in the case of either a single series of'interlocking drop bottom doors or parallel series thereof being employed, said doors may extend the full width of the car with the resultin advanta es of increased ca acity affordedg by the agility to provide substantiall straight side Walls fon the-car. It will urt er appear, that the center beam provides a car of increased strength, enables smaller bumpers to be employed, and affords surfaces that facilitate dumping of the load of material from the car. This is also true as respects the form of the Wheel housings and the latch housings, the formerihaving the ability to turn in the load of the car while dumping the same, and the latter occupying minimum space within the car and having surfaces dumping of the load thereof. It will urther appear, from the foregoing, that the latch mechanism occupies a minimum amount of space, and provides interlocking elements tightly, though releasably engaged, and operated through minimum turning motion of the latches in a vertical plane. The latches are so constructed and operated that the rear edges of the rear doors do not have to be curved -appreciably, thereby increasing the capacity of the car. In inoperate "within the car, their surfaces are so formed as to turn freely in the load of material in the car when the doors are opened to dump said load.

While several embodiments of the .present invention have been illustrated and described herein with more or less particularity, the invention is not limited to said embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

l/Vhat is-claimed is:

1. In a drop bottom car, axles thereon, wheels on said axles, a plurality of drop bottom doors hin ed to the car on axes extending transversely t ereof, and Wheel housings on said doors.

y 2. In a drop bottom car, an axle thereon, l

pal

- stances where the latches are uncovered and wheels on said axle, one or more drop bottom doors hinged to the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, and wheel housings on said door or doors..

3.' lin a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hinged to' the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, an axle on said car, a wheel on said axle, and a wheel housing on said door.

4. ln a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including two doors extending one rearwardly of the other and hinged to the car on'axes extending transversely thereof, axles on the car, wheels on the axles, and wheel housings on said doors.

5. ln a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including two doors extending one rearwardly of the other and hinged to the car on axes extending transversely thereof, an axle on the car, a wheel on said axle and adapted to extend through openings in said doors, and `a housing on one door adapted to cover said l wheel and saidopenings. 6. In a drop bottom car, an axle thereon, a

wheel on said axle, a bottom for the car including two doors having openings therein for said wheel and pivotal axes extending transversely of said car, a flange on one door adjacent the opening therein, anda housng on the other door adapted to cover the wheel and said openings.

7. lin a drop bottom car, axles thereon, wheels on saidaxles, drop 'bottom doors having openings for said wheels and hinged to the car on axes extending transversely thereof, and housings mounted on said doors over .said Wheels and openings.

8. ln a drop bottom car, axles thereon, wheels on said axles. drop bottom doors having openings for said wheels and hingedl tol thecar on axes extending transversely therey of, and means carried by said doors and covering said wheels and said openings.

9. lln a drop bottom car, parallel series of automatically operated interlocking drop 'bottom doors hinged to the car on axes ex- 'tending transversely thereof.

10. ln a drop bottom car, a pluralityl of automatically operated. interlocking drop bottom doors arranged one behind another and hinged to the car, and a beam between opposite sides of the car extending longitudinally of the latter and transversely of the pivotal axes of said doors.

11. liny a drop bottom car, parallel series of automatically operated interlocking drop bottom doors hinged to the car, and a beam between opposite sides of the car extending longitudinally of the latter and transversely of the pivotal axes of said'doors.

12. lin adrop bottom car, drop bottom doors hinged to the ear and extending one behind another, a beam between opposite sides of the car extending longitudinally of the latter and transversely ofthe pivotal axes assente doors hinged to the car and extending 'onev behind another, a beam between opposite sides of the car extending longitudinally of the latter and transversely of the pivotal axes of said doors, lsaid beam having channels in oplposite sides thereof, and fillers in said channe s.

14. ln a drop bottom car, a beam between opposite-sides of the car and extending longitudinally thereof, and .interlocking automatically opcrated drop bottom doors extending 'one behind another and hinged to the car on axes extending transversely thereof through said beam. 5

.15. ln a drop bottom car, a beam between opposite sides of the car and extending longitudinally thereof, and' interlocking automatically operated drop between doors extending one behind another and hinged to the car on axes extending transversely thereof in spaced relation with said beam.

16. lln a drop bottom car, `automatically operated interlocking drop` bottom doors extending one behind another and hinged to the car, a beam between opposite sides of the car extending longitudinally thereof and transversely of the pivotal axes of said doors, and bumpers mounted on opposite ends ofthe car in alinement with said beam.

17. ln a' drop bottom car, automatically operated interlocking drop bottom doors extending one behind another and hinged to the car, a beam between opposite sides of the car extending longitudinally thereof and transversely of the pivotal axes of Said doors and kbumpers mounted on lopposite ends o the car in alii'iement with `said beam, one

bumper beingl rigidly mounted on the car Y and the other bumper being yieldably mounted thereon. y

18. ln a drop bottom car, parallel series of interlocking automatically operated drop bottom doors hinged to the car on axes extending transversely thereof, and latch mechanism for the rear doors comprising one or more catches on each of the same and devices adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said catches and mounted on the car to y turn about an axis extending transversely thereof.

19. In a drop .bottom car, a door hinged to the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, a housing within the car at one 'end thereof, and automatically operated latch mechanism for the door comprising a device pivotally mounted` in the housing tov turn about an axis extending transversely of the car and a catch on .the door adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said device.

20. ln a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hinged to the car onan axis extending transversely thereof, a hous ing within the car at one end thereof and bottom thereo having an opening, and automatically operated latch mechanism for the door comprising a device pivotally mounted in the housing to turn about an axis extendn y transversely of the car and a catch on tie door adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said device through the opening in said housing.

21. In a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hinged to the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, a housing in the car and having an opening in the bottom thereof, and automatically operated latch mechanism for the door including a catch mounted thereon for movement int-o and out of the housing through said opening and a device ivotally mounted in the housing to turn a out an axis nextending transversely of the car and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said catch.

22. In a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hinged to the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, a housing in one end of the car open at the bottom thereof and provided with an inclined Wall along which material may move freely when the car is dumped,-and automatically operated latch mechanism-for the door vincluding a catch thereon movable into and out of the housin through the opening in the and a device pivotally mounted in the housing on an axis extending transversely of the car and adapted to be engaged ged from said catch.v

with and disenga 23. In a drop' ottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hin ed to the car on an axis extending transverse y thereof, and automatically operated latch lmechanism for the door including hook-shaped interlocking catches on the door and the car respectively adapted to be engaged with and disen aged from each other, the catch on the car ing pivoted thereon to turn about an axis extending transversely of said car.

24. In a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hinged to the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, and automatically operated latch mechanism for the door including interlocking devices .on the door and the car respectively ada ted to be engaged with and disengaged rom each other, the device on the car extending therein and being mounted on the car to turn through an opening in a wall thereof about a'n axis extending transversely of the car.

25. In a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hinged to the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, and automaticall 'o rated latch mechanism for the door inc udmg a catch thereon faced toward the side of the door opposite that hinged to the car, and a member on said car pivoted' on and projecting upwardly from an axis extending transversely of the car and adagted to be en aged with and disengaged said catc through raisingA and lowering movements of thel door and swinging movement of said member under the catch.

26. In a drop bottom car, a bottom there-- for including a door hinged to the-car on an axis extending transversely thereo,-and automatlcally operated latch mechanism for the .door including a catch thereon and a subed to engage with'and disengage from each other, the device on the door extendin upwardl within the car when the door is c osed, and t e device on the car being pivotally mounted thereon to turn about an. axis extending transversely of said car.

28. n a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hinged to the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, latch mechanism for the door comprising interlocking devices on the door and the car adapted to engage with and disengage `from each other, the device on the door extending up- Wardly within the car when the door is closed, and the device on the car being pivotally .mounted thereon to turn about an axis extendino' within and transversely of said ear.

29. fn a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hinged to the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, latch mechanism for the door comprising interlocking devices on the door and the car adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from each other, the device on the door extending npwardly within the car when the door is closed and the device on the car being pivotaily mounted'thereon. to turn about an axis extending transversely of said car for engagement with and disengagement from the device on the door, said device on the car having a surface extending from the device on the door to and through an opening in the end wall of the car when the two devices are in catching engagement.

30. In a drop bottom car, a bottom therefor including a door hinged to the car on an axis extending transversely thereof, and a latch mechanism for the door comprising interlocking devices on the door and the car adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from each other, the device on the door extending upward within the car when in latc ally mounted thereon, to turn bout an axis bmg pm sition, and the device on the car being pivot- @amm wamswrsly @if said cara, sai Mitchmg @wim am we car having an are-sha d @miam xtaning rom be latch en gang @aim m am opening in the rem @3nd o *L e cm 5 mme smmsversely extemlmg mais. f

'im smmy whereof E have spel @his spacisom Y GHABLES A. im 

